Inchydoney escape
What is it about the sea that immediately calms and relaxes? Is it the noise? The crash and roar on a blustery day. The gentle soothing, lapping when conditions are fair? Or is it the smell? The distinctive salty essence that clears the head and puts your troubles in perspective.
It was 6pm on a stormy Friday evening when I rounded the headland overlooking Inchydoney Strand. A tetchy, testing four-hour drive from Dublin was immediately put behind me once I stepped out of the car and took in the view and a belt of sea salt! The team at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa have used the power of the sea to create a unique experience at this Blue Flag seashore. Inchydoney became home to Ireland’s first thalassotherapy spa, the Island Spa, in 1998. Thalassotherapy is a word derived from the Greek words for ‘sea’ and ‘medical treatment’, giving visitors the benefits of seawater as well as sea mud, seaweed and fresh sea air to create a sense of well-being. Seawater is pumped daily from the ocean into the seawater therapy pool at Inchydoney and heated to 31°C. Swimming in water at this temperature opens the pores to assist in absorbing nutrients, as well as relaxing and easing any tensions.
Celebrating their 20th birthday this year, the staff at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa have put together a new Happiness Comes in Waves package. From the minute you arrive and take in the stunning views, listen to the sounds of the waves and inhale the fresh sea air, you’ll feel your shoulders drop a few inches and your mind calm…
The Happiness Comes in Waves getaway at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa is a two-night break, staying in a guest-room with its own private balcony. Toast the hotel’s 20th birthday with a glass of bubbly in your room on arrival. Enjoy a West Cork seafood platter in Dunes Restaurant, and dinner on one evening in the Gulfstream Restaurant, famed for its use of local ingredients. The celebratory getaway also includes a thalassotherapy spa treatment each in the Island Spa, and unlimited access to the thalassotherapy pool and relaxation areas. inchydoneyisland.com